1. Field
The invention relates to steering wheel covers, particularly steering wheel covers which are removed when the steering wheel is in use. The illustrated embodiment is a snugly-fitting steering wheel cover which protects the steering wheel from solar radiation damage, thermal damage and elevated temperatures, and is removable and adjustable to fit different sizes of steering wheels and, once adjusted to particular size of steering wheel, can be placed upon and removed from the steering wheel without altering the adjustment setting
2. State of the Art
Various types and designs of steering wheel covers are known in the prior art. Prior art steering wheel covers generally fall into two categories
The first category of prior art steering wheel covers are those which are intended for non-removable attachment to the steering wheel, are left on the steering wheel when the steering wheel is in use, and are generally designed and used for the purpose of increasing a driver's physical comfort when using the steering wheel and maximizing the driver's grip on the steering wheel. These steering wheel covers are placed on an outer ring of a steering wheel, form a tubular structure around the outer ring of the steering wheel, and are generally attached to the steering wheel through a mechanical means such as lacing or an interlocking clip mechanism.
Prior art patents which are illustrative of this first category of steering wheel covers are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 1,530,060, issued Mar. 17, 1925 to W. F. Ridge; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 97,231, issued Oct. 15, 1935 to F. P. Jackson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,157,950, issued May 9, 1939 to F. A. Best; U.S. Pat. No. 2,172,584, issued Sep. 12, 1939 to A. J. Iller; U.S. Pat. No. 2,197,409, issued Apr. 16, 1940 to F. P. Jackson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,309,374, issued Jan. 26, 1943 to S. Alexander; U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,987, issued Nov. 25, 1952 to L. M. Goldstine; U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,486, issued May 16, 1967 to R. C. Spencer; U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,416, issued Mar. 23, 1976 to H. Y. Rim; U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,950, issued Dec. 25, 1979 to J. F. Valley; U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,382, issued Apr. 10, 1984 to L. K. Snooks; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 280,314, issued Aug. 27, 1985 to M. Strongwater; U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,954, issued Apr. 15, 1986 to S. Uchida; U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,416, issued Mar. 8, 1988 to D. J. Miller; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,776, issued Jan. 31, 1989 to M. Strongwater.
The second category of prior art steering wheel covers are those which are designed to be removed from the steering when the steering wheel is in use and are utilized primarily to protect the steering wheel from solar radiation damage, thermal damage and elevated temperatures. The present invention relates to this second category of steering wheel covers.
Prior art patents which are illustrative of this second category of steering wheel covers are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,377, issued Jul. 25, 1978 to N. M. Ostrem and U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,499, issued Aug. 11, 1987 to T. W. Black. These prior art patents generally teach steering wheel covers constructed of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as cardboard or foam backed fabric, and, therefore, generally retain their shape when removed from the steering wheel and are difficult to store when not in use. These prior art steering wheel covers are also disadvantageous because they are not easily cleaned, are not adjustable to different sizes of steering wheels and are not asthetically pleasing.